Neon tube connector



April 15, 1941. J HENSLER 2,238,589

NEON TUBE CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1959 m @wxmfig; i 3/ 20 39 INVENTOR.

j 17.]. Jfemsler KM/IW ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 15, 1941 UNITED e STATESPATENT QFFIC'E NEON TUBE ooNNEoTon Frederick J. Hensler, Concord, N. Y.Application December 20, 1939. ScrialNo. 310,092 I 5 Claims. (01.173-328) This invention relates to devices for connecting the ends ofneon tubes and comprehends an improved device of this character whichestablishes both electrical and mechanical connection between the endsof adjacent tubes or between the source of electrical current and theend of a tube, and which also serves tohouse and protect the exposedterminals of the tube electrodes against short circuits resulting fromrain, snow or sleet, while excluding dust, dirt or other foreign matterwhich may tend to foul the same.

The invention compreh'ends an improved connector of the indicatedcharacter which embodies a housing fashioned from a. non-combustibleinsulation material possessing the requisite strength and durability andenclosing an element by means of which electrical connection between theends of adjacent tubes or between the source of electrical current and atube end may be expeditiously and efiectually established without thenecessity of employing tools or requiring the services of speciallytrained operatives.

Other objects of the invention reside in the provision of a connectorand housing for the ends of neon tubes which embodies but few and simpleparts capable of being economically produced and assembled.

With the above enumerated and other objects in view, the invention isset forth in detail in the following specification and accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a connector and tween a source ofelectrical current and an end 3f aneon tube.

Referring to the drawing by characters of'reference, A and B designaterespectively portions of adjacent neon tubes which are respectivelyformed of reversely bent ends C and D having the. exposed electricalterminals E1 and F. The connector includes a housing fashioned from anon-combustible insulation material such as glass, glazed porcelain,porcelain or plastic materials and consists of a body section l and acap section II which are of tubular formation respectively provided withthe closed ends l2 and I3 and open at the opposite ends.

The body section Ii) is formed with a neck H of reduced diameter adaptedto fit within the enlarged recessed end [5 of the cap II and said neckis provided with an external thread l5 adapted to engage within theinternal thread ll of the recessed end I5 of the cap to detachablyconnect the housing sections and l I.

An annular sealing gasket l8 surrounds the I neck [4 and is disposedbetween the sections to seal the same at their juncture. The bodysection ID of the housing is formed with a notch l9 and extendslongitudinally thereof inwardly from the outer end of the neck and intothe main body portion thereof and which notch communicates with the boreof the section. The notch I9 is adapted to receive therethrough thebight portions of the reversely bent ends C and D of the neon tubes Aand B, it being understood that the end C of the tube A extends axiallyof the bore 26, while the end D of the tube B extends axially of thebore 2| of the cap H. The notch I9 is of greater width than the diameterof the neon tubes and in order to fill the space between the bightportions of the neon tube ends and the notch, yieldable plugs 22 and 23of sponge rubber or an equivalent material are fitted over the bightportions in surrounding relation thereto and are compressed between thewalls of the notch and between each other and the bight portions. Thismechanically connects the tubes and houses the reversely bent ends C andD thereof.

The tubes are electrically connected to each other by means of aconductor element which consists of a straight length of resilient wire24 having coiled contractile ends'25 and 26, the convolutions of whichare of a diameter to telescopically receive the reversely bent ends 0and D of the'tubes with the endmost coils having inwardly spiraleclextremities 21 and 28 to effectually engage with the exposed terminalsof the tube electrodes. It will be understood that the distance betweenthe spiral extremities 21 and 28 of the end convolutions under thenorcally contracted arrangement of the coiled ends 25 and 26 will beless than the distance between the terminals E and F when the tubes arear ranged in the housing so as to expand the coiled ends 25 and 26 andplace them under a tension to thereby insure and maintain properelectrical contact of the terminals E and F with the spiral portions 21and 28.

As iliustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing, the con- :nector, in thisinstance, is designed for establishing mechanical and protectedelectrical connection between a source of electrical current and the endof a neon tube. The housing, in this instance, is substantiallyidentical with that previously described, except that the closed end 12of the section It] is provided with an aperture 39 having a tubularnipple 3| extending therethrough formed with a headed inner end 32 andan externally threaded outer end 33 engaged by a coupling collar 3% bymeans of which a conduit 35 is connected with the body section l0. Aninsulated conductor wire 36 leading from a source of electrical current,extends through the conduit 35 and through the nipple 3i into the positecoiled end 26 and is connected with the reversely bent end D of the neontube B.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a connector for neon tubes having reversely bent ends providedwith exposed electrode terminals, a housing of non-combustibleinsulation material including a. pair of tubular sections each having aclosed outer end and telescopically engaged open inner ends axiallyinterfitted one within the other, one of said sections having a notchedinner end for receiving the reversely bent ends of adjacent tubes, and acontractile conductor means located within said housing and contactingrespectively the electrode terminals of the reversely bent tube ends,for establishing electrical connection therebetween.

2. In a connector for neon tubes having reversely bent ends providedwith exposed electrode terminals, a housing of non-combustibleinsulation material including mating tubular sections each having aclosed outer end and telescopically engaged open inner ends axiallyinterfitted one within the other, one of said sections having a notchedinner end for receiving the reversely bent ends of adjacent tubes, and aconductor means located within said housing and contacting respectivelythe electrode terminals of the reversely bent tube ends for establishingelectrical connection therebetween, a yieldable elastic gasketsurrounding the juncture of said tube ends with the tubes and positionedto cooperatively engage with each other and the walls of the notch toseal the space therebetween.

3. In a connector for neon tubes having reversely bent ends providedwith exposed electrode terminals, a conlductor element having coiledcontractile opposite end portions adapted to respectively receive thereversely bent ends of adjacent neon tubes, the outermost convolutionsof each end portion having an inwardly spiraled extremity with whicheach of the exposed electrode terminals contact, and a housing ofnoncombustible insulation material including mating tubular sectionseach having a closed outer end and open telescopically engaged innerends axially interfitted one within the other, one section having anotched inner end for receiving the reversely bent ends of adjacenttubes.

4. In a connector for neon tubes having reversely bent ends providedwith exposed electrode terminals, a housing of non-combustibleinsulation material having an opening intermediate the ends thereof forreceiving the reversely bent ends of adjacent tubes, yieldable elasticgasket means surrounding the juncture of the tube ends with the tubesand engaging with the walls of the opening to seal the space between thetubes and the wall of the opening, and a conductor located within thehousing and including an inextensible intermediate portion and coiledcontractile opposite end portions having open inner ends and closedouter ends, said contractile end portions being telescopically disposedover the reversely bent ends of adjacent neon tubes with the ends ofsaid tubes extending into the inner open ends of the coiled portions andabutting against and electrically connected with the closed outer endsthereof so as to expand the coiled portions outwardly to place the sameunder tension to maintain the electrical connection.

5. In a connector for neon tubes having reversely bent ends providedwith exposed electrode terminals, a housing of non-combustibleinsulation material having an opening intermediate the ends thereof forreceiving the reversely bent end of a neon tube, and a conductor locatedwithin the housing and including an inextensible portion and a coiledend portion having an open inner end and a closed outer end and withinwhich the reversely bent end of the tube extends with the electrodeterminal at the outer end of the tube engaging with the outer closed endof the coiled portion so as to expand the coiled portion outwardly toplace the same under tensiotn to maintain the electric connectiontherewi h.

FREDERICK J. HENSLER.

